John egbert mclaren



( Model J, R. MQLAREN.

TOBOGGAN.

,157. Patented May 17, 1887.

N4 PETERS. Pholn-Lilhogrgphnr. Wnshingluu. D. c,

IJ'NITE STATES PATENT JFFICFO 7 JOHN nonnnr MOLAREN, m, or MONTREAL, ounnno, CANADA.

TOBOG'GAN.

SPE CIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,157, dated May 1'7, 1887.

Application filed January 12, 1587. Serial No. 224,155. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that 1, JOHN ROBERT McLAnEN, J r., of the city of Montreal, in the district of Montreal and Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Iniprovements in Toboggans; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The object of my invention is to produce a toboggan which shall combine the qualities of cheapncss, strength, and speed, and which will do away with the possibility of the hands of those sitting upon it coming in contact with the ground or sides of a chute.

In toboggans now in use the cross bars to which the side rods are usually connected are secured on the seat, the under side of which is the frictional surface.

I propose to carry the seat on the cross bars, which will project beyond it on either side, and are secured at regular intervals to the seat by any suitable fastening. To the under side of these cross-pieces are attached the slats or frictional surfaces upon which the toboggan travels. My invention also comprises a new device for holding the side rods, which also serves to -clamp together the seat and cross-pieces. For full comprehension, however, of the invention, reference must be had to the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of my toboggan; Fig. 2, a plan view of same; Fig. 3, an enlarged cross'sectional elevation looking toward front, and Fig. 4 a detail of clampfastening.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A is the scat, formed of one or more boards, and B B the cross-pieces on which the seat is secured and carried, as will be presently described. These cross-pieces are preferably of some such shape as that shown in Fig. 3, and have attached to their under sides at or near their ends the slats or runners G C, any suitable means--such as bolts, screws, or rivets being used for the purpose.

D D are the clamps, of the form shown in Fig. at, secured to both the seat and crosspieces, and having formed in them eyes d d,

0 through which pass the side rods, E E.

As shown specially in Fig. 3, the seat A and slats C O are bent up at the front in curves coinciding at a point about midway in the hood, at which is placed a cross-brace, F, the seat-extension A then lying between the runners, and both being secured together at their ends by crosspieccs G G, attached in the usual way to the foremost eyes dd, or the rods.

It will be seen that, as the seat is not exposed to friction,it may be madeof an inferior quality of wood, and that, as the scat, cross-pieces, and side rods are bound together by the clamps, the construction ofthe toboggan is very strong.

It will also be seen that by the construction herein deseribcdviz., with the slats and cross pieces projecting outside the seat and side rods, which are also elevated above themit is impossible for the hands of any one seated on the toboggan and holding the side rods to come in contact with the ground or sides.

Although I have described the clamps D D as applied to the construction of a toboggau as herein set forth, it will be obvious that they may be used in connection with any of the well-known types of toboggans having the cross-bars on the seat.

In the drawings only two slats or frictional surfaces'for travel are shown; but it must be understood that a central one may be introduced or even more be used.

I am aware of the patent,N0. 339, 512, granted on the 6th of April, 1886, to Seymour Ainsworth; but in this case the cross-beams are in two sections, the lower let down the full size into the runners, on the upper side of which the material of the seat is extended, the seat proper being thus brought to the same level as the top of the runners, while the upper sections of the cross-beams are superimposed upon the seat, so as to render it uneven, and thus give that discomfort to the occupant of the to boggan which my invention (by having no ribs upon the face of the seat) is designed to avoid. I therefore disclaim this construction.

I am also aware that sleds have been made with runners connected to knees which carry 7 cross bars upon which the seat is fastened; but no provision is made in any of these for the closed hood or turned-up front, which is absolutely necessary in the construction of a toboggan, properly speaking; nor yet is there the required elasticity 1n the runners and seats IOC of sleds to adapt them to the peculiar use for which my invention is intended.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is as follows: 5 1. In a toboggan, the combination, with longitudinal slats forming the running or frictional surfaces extending from end to end and curved and returned at the front or hood, of cross-bars fastened to the upper sides of said IO slats, and a seat superimposed upon said crossbars and having an extension returned between the front ends of the longitudinal slats to form the hood, substantially as described.

2. In a toboggan, the combination, with the r 5 seat A, cross-bars B, supporting said seat and extending beyond its edges, and with longitudinal slats O O, carrying said cross-bars,and forming running-surfaces for the toboggan at the two sides thereof, of the side rails, E, and brackets supporting same above the seat-level, such brackets'being fastened to both the seat and cross-bars, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In atoboggan, the combination, with the seat and cross-bars, of clamps D,'secured to both, and having eyes d formed in them to carry the side rods, all as herein set forth.

Montreal, 5th day of January, A. D. 1887.

JOHN ROBERT MOLAREN, JR. Witnesses:

J DE M. MARLEI, OWEN M. EVANS. 

